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(Family Features) From running his workshop to delivering toys around the world, the holiday season is a busy time for Santa. To keep himself going, Saint Nick relies on some essential gadgets to stay connected, organized and entertained throughout the holidays.

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(Family Features) It’s not too late to improve your dental health and overall health without putting a dent in your wallet. If you have dental insurance, you have until Dec. 31 to use your benefits before they expire.

(Family Features) For one reason or another, you’ve determined the house you’re living in has become too much to handle. Seniors, empty nesters or those moving from a suburban home into a loft or apartment in the city all face similar challenges when it comes to downsizing.

(Family Features) After spending hours scouring stores for the perfect gift for each person on your list, the last thing you want to do is bury your thoughtful gesture in generic wrapping. Fortunately, with the right tools and a little creativity, you can make your gift boxes just as personal as the gifts they contain.

(Family Features) The holiday season seems to last longer and get more hectic every year. Whether cooking the Thanksgiving feast or doing last-minute gift shopping, everyone can get a little stressed out. Most people don't know that their dog may also experience anxiety during these celebrations.

(Family Features) Move over, marble and granite. There’s a new, old stone that’s coming back into vogue. After first coming into use 5,000 years ago, soapstone is once again becoming a “go-to” material for kitchen and bath designs, indoor and outdoor living spaces and more.

(Family Features) When cold and flu season strikes, millions of Americans find themselves coughing, sneezing, congested, aching, uncomfortable – and sometimes, downright miserable. The widespread prevalence of these symptoms sweeps the country each year and affects people of all ages.

(Family Features) Stainless steel has been a staple in luxurious, contemporary kitchens all over the world for years. While it’s most often used indoors, this durable, low-maintenance, design-forward material is making its way outdoors.

(Family Features) Routines help keep us focused, organized and healthy. However, if your health care routine doesn’t include preparing for Medicare’s Open Enrollment, now’s the time to kick-start a new healthy habit.

(Family Features) Whether it is a family dinner after a long day at work, sitting down with a book on a rainy day or entertaining friends during the weekend, there is nothing like spending quality time in the comfort of your own home. With a few simple steps, you can have a fresher, cleaner and healthier home, taking comfort to a whole new level.

(Family Features) During this time of year, many families are looking for ways to give back to their communities. Collecting donations for a food drive or donating warm clothes are great ways to serve the community, but giving back through innovation is another impactful way to help others. Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education plays a significant role in giving innovators the skills they need to create tools that help solve some of the world’s largest problems.

(Family Features) As the holiday season approaches and you’re tasked with hosting family and friends, it can be a little overwhelming to imagine all the work that has to take place for a successful celebration.

(Family Features) As the cold weather settles in, staying snuggled up in your comfortable house around the clock may be tempting, but it’s not very realistic. So when you come back inside from work, running errands or a quick snowball war with the kids, you’ll need some easy ways to warm up.

(Family Features) Although good tidings and joy abound during the holiday season, this time of year can also pose a serious threat to your family, friends and home. The holidays bring an elevated risk for fires and burns, and many Americans may have a false sense of security.

(Family Features) Most adults remember that one special Christmas that stands out above the rest thanks to that one coveted gift they discovered with childlike delight under the tree. Now you can help the children in your life create similar memories by sharing a beloved holiday toy tradition: the newest Hess Toy Truck.

(Family Features) With each holiday season comes joy, laughter and celebrations with family and friends. However, all that revelry takes time. Fortunately, there are ways to keep the planning and preparation for holiday entertaining from infringing on your enjoyment of all the holidays have to offer.

(Family Features) The hustle and bustle of the holiday season may feel overwhelming at times, and for hosts throwing holiday parties, sticking to formal cooking and dining traditions can be time-consuming and stressful. In the season dedicated to spending time with family and friends, experimenting with simple entertaining ideas and informal settings can allow for more time to enjoy the party with your guests.

(Family Features) While decorating the tree, house, or garland, a whole section of lights can go dark – along with holiday spirits. Light outages can be frustrating and time-consuming to repair during the busy holiday season.

(Family Features) Winter conditions can present a wide range of challenges to your lawn and landscape, but there are precautions you can take to protect your lawn, as well as your trees and shrubs, from seasonal harm.

(Family Features) Today’s consumers don’t often follow a simple path of “search for what I want, find it, buy it.” They search at home, at work and on-the-go to find the products and services they need.

(Family Features) The holidays are all about spreading generosity and kindness, so when searching for the perfect presents for everyone on your holiday shopping list, look for gifts that also benefit children in need around the world.

(Family Features) Severe winter weather and dangerously low temperatures can pose a serious threat to family safety, particularly when the power supply is threatened. Many families rely on portable generators as part of their emergency plan, which can provide peace of mind and protection when used properly.

(Family Features) Holiday season means it’s time to start picking out stocking stuffers and gifts that perfectly match every friend and family member – including four-legged ones – on your list. But when that list grows longer and longer and you find that not everyone is so easy to buy for, the right present can be difficult to find. Instead of spending more time head-scratching than gift-wrapping, keep everyone jolly by going for one of these great gift ideas.

(Family Features) If you've been enjoying herbs from your garden all summer, make that enjoyment last all winter by harvesting and preserving your home grown bounty. Get started before the first frost.

(Family Features) Whether you're looking for a gift to give a gardener in your life or you need ideas for your own yard, there's no shortage of new gardening books available. Here are a few books for gardeners:

(Family Features) Most people recognize the importance of a healthy lifestyle when it comes to physical and emotional well-being, but you may not realize that some health-related activities can pose a safety risk if you don’t take proper precautions. Making safe habits part of your healthy lifestyle can help ensure you’re able to enjoy the results of your efforts.

(Family Features) Once their military service ends, veterans can face obstacles in assimilating back into civilian life. One common struggle is finding post-military employment, which is why some veterans choose to own their own business and pursue franchising.

(Family Features) One of the best ways to add variety to your garden is to choose plants of different sizes and colors, including bulbs. Alliums, daffodils, amaryllis and crocuses are great for taking your garden to a new level. But for many gardeners - even those who consider themselves experts - getting the timing and the method of planting bulbs down can be intimidating. Use these tips to get your garden planned this season.

(Family Features) Parents know there is a small window of time to make a meaningful, positive impact on children and shape who they may become as adults. A large portion of that influence comes at home, but it often also involves school, friends and extracurricular activities, many of which can help families make the most out of childhood experiences.

(Family Features) Just a generation ago, it was difficult to imagine a single palm-sized device that could serve as a phone, camera and day planner all in one. Today, smartphone users are discovering that new technology and sophisticated apps make it unbelievably easy to manage virtually every aspect of life.

(Family Features) With busy schedules and never-ending to-do lists, it can seem like living a healthy lifestyle is out of reach. But, prioritizing nutrition doesn’t have to be a chore. Here are five quick tips to help you and your family eat well, even when it feels like time is not on your side.

(Family Features) Let the change in weather be your cue to swap out your summertime décor with the bold, rich tones of autumn. Whether your style is contemporary or early American, these design tips will add festive fall spirit to any home.

(Family Features) People across the country spend countless amounts of time cleaning around the house. One of the most problematic areas is the kitchen, where 91 percent of Americans say they “deep clean” at least once a year. Rather than wasting precious time spraying and scrubbing, you can now find appliances with a finish that guards against skin’s natural oils, including the Maytag Fingerprint Resistant Stainless Steel kitchen suite. Save yourself an average of 2 hours and 48 minutes of time cleaning the kitchen each month with appliances that help prevent smearing and streaking. Find more information at maytag.com.

(BPT) - It’s late and you’re in your favorite, cozy pajamas. You get in bed and pull up the warm comforter. You turn out the light and are just about to drift off to sleep when you hear a noise coming from the attic. You sit up to listen, but it quickly goes quiet again. You lay back down and close your eyes, and just as you fall asleep, the noise is back, this time it’s coming from inside the wall.

(Family Features) For parents with a picky eater, it may seem that no amount of coaxing or prodding will get that little mouth in motion. A fresh approach may be all you need to make meal time a more enjoyable experience for all.

(Family Features) As the holiday season approaches and you’re tasked with hosting family and friends, it can be a little overwhelming to imagine all the work that has to take place for a successful celebration.

(Family Features) The onset and arrival of colder temperatures means that it’s time once again to brace yourself – and your home – for everything that winter weather threatens to throw at you. From cool, drafty air wafting into your house to friends and family bringing snow and sand inside with them, it’s important to remember the preparation to go through before winter strikes.

(Family Features) From a few acres of suburban sprawl to large properties in rural regions, building, mowing, digging and transporting can be a daunting task. With the right utility tractor, more work can be done with less elbow grease.

(Family Features) Life insurance is a valuable asset, but over time you may find that your life insurance no longer fits your situation. You might be surprised to learn that in addition to your home, stocks, bonds and antiques, your life insurance is another asset you can sell.

(Family Features) For leading chefs and casual home cooks alike, a little skill and talent goes a long way toward creating each mouthwatering culinary masterpiece. But as many chefs will tell you, the end result is only as good as the tools you use in the kitchen. Pots and pans that have been treated with care are essential for quality cooking.

(Family Features) As the weather gets colder, it can be harder to motivate kids to step away from their computers and devices and get off the couch. However, it’s essential for kids to participate in active play all year round. According to research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, regular physical activity helps build and maintain healthy bones and muscles, promotes psychological well-being and reduces feelings of depression and anxiety.

(Family Features) Studies repeatedly emphasize the importance of diagnosing vision problems at an early age, but that’s something many parents assume is being covered by their children’s school system. In reality, an estimated one in four American school-age children have vision problems that – if untreated – can affect learning ability, personality and behavioral developments, adjustment in school and, ultimately, could lead to blindness.

(BPT) - With winter approaching, it’s almost time to hang up your gloves, and retire from the lawn and garden until next spring. But before the snow and cold temperatures arrive, there are a few fall yard care tasks you need to check off your list.

(BPT) - NOAA predicts a 70 percent likelihood of 10 to 16 named storms in 2016 with four to eight potentially becoming hurricanes. However, while weather experts monitor storm patterns, homeowners don’t have to sit idly by and wait for disaster to strike.

(Family Features) Halloween is all about trick-or-treating for the kids and finding a creative costume that wows for festive partygoers. With nearly 41 million adults in the U.S. wearing contact lenses, they are a safe and popular form of vision correction, and some may elect to wear decorative contact lenses as part of their costume. However, if these lenses are bought illegally and without a prescription from your eye doctor, they could lead to serious health issues and potentially damage your eyesight permanently.

(Family Features) Although some parents choose to limit the amount of time their young children spend watching television, a few standout shows have earned praise for promoting creative problem-solving and social skills – transforming a moderate amount of screen time into an opportunity for learning.

(Family Features) Prioritizing a baby's needs over their own and a willingness to spend more on diapers than date night is commonplace among today's parents, according to a survey conducted by national retailer ALDI. Parents spare no expense giving their child the best, even if that means spending $200-plus a month on diapers and formula. The findings reveal a need for more affordable baby essentials that don't sacrifice quality for price. The first baby line from ALDI, Little Journey, includes high-quality, affordable baby products like diapers, wipes and organic puree pouches. For more information and parenting tips, visit aldi.us/littlejourney.

(Family Features) New research is giving pain sufferers a dose of good news. With concerns mounting about the prevalence of opioid use and abuse in the U.S., a new study validates the effectiveness of acupuncture and other non-drug health therapies for pain.

(Family Features) Nutrition is one of the most critical factors in healthy child development, but this is especially true for babies born prematurely. For many preemie parents, the early arrival of their baby quickly turns what was expected to be a blissful time into a period fraught with a host of unexpected decisions – including those involving their fragile baby’s nutrition.

(Family Features) Next time you reach for a satisfying snack to curb your hunger, choose a treat that fills your stomach and your heart. Support causes that truly matter by choosing foods that make a difference for children around the world.

(Family Features) Temperatures may be dropping, but just because swimsuit season is over doesn’t mean it’s time to let your fitness regimen fall by the wayside. Keeping active and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is important year-around, so stay on track as the weather cools with these tips and tricks.